Box or carton



R. KUHLMAN Feb. 5, 19463 [BOX on CARTON Filed Jan. '22, 1943 INVENTOR 0 mm 112mm AT'II'ORINEYS Patented Feb. 5, 1946 BOX R CARTON Richard Kuhlman, River Edge, N. J., assignor to Tung-Sol Lamp Works, Inc., Newark, N. J., a

corporation of Delaware Application January 22, 1943, Serial No. 473,183

2 Claims.

This invention relates to collapsible boxes or cartons and particularly to boxes or cartons made of fiber, corrugated paper or cardboard.

One object of the invention is a novel and improved box or carton of cardboard or the like which may be readily formed from a cardboard blank by folding the same about itself into a substantial and durable device and without Use of glue or staples.

A further object of the invention is a novel and improved box or carton of the above indicated character which is characterized further by the facility with which it may be formed from a card board sheet and with equal facility knocked down again into blank or sheet form.

A further object ofthe invention is a novel and improved collapsible carton whose bottom is locked to the side Walls of the carton by means of folded parts of the bottom in cooperation with a nest device disposed on the interior.

Further objects of the invention will hereinafter appear.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application wherein- Fig. '1 is a plan view of a blank or sheet used in the formation of a box or carton embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a further step in the formation of the box; I

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a further step in the formation of the box;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the finished box or carton with a part broken away;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the finished box or carton showing a part broken away. I

Referring to the drawing the invention is illustrated as embodied in the blank or sheet shown in Fig. l and the box or carton formed therefrom as illustrated in Fig. 4. The blank or sheet as illustrated in Fig. 1 is formed of an elongated sheet of any suitable material Which is scorable and foldable along the scoring lines and has suflicient rigidity When formed into the carton to be selfsustainin in the usage to which the box or carton is to be put. It may be of fiber, heavy paper, corrugated paper, cardboard and the like, and paper board of the corrugated type has been found to be particularly suitable to the manufacture of this box or carton.

The elongated blank of Fig. 1 is scored laterally thereof from the upper edge A along the spaced lines I and is scored longitudinally of the blank along the line 2. The board is out along the lines I which form continuations of the scoring lines I below the scoring line 2. The cuts I are continued at an angle thereto as cuts 3 and the latter are continued as cuts 4 at an angle to the cuts 3,

the cuts 4 extending to the bottom edge B of the blank. In the particular embodiment shown, the cuts 3 are formed at right angles to the cuts I and the cuts 4 are formed at right angles to the cuts 3 so as to be parallel with the cuts I. There is thus formed a pair of locking flaps or tongues 5 intermediate the ends of the blank, and another intermediate locking flap or tongue 6 forming one of a pair, the other tongue of the latter pair being formed at the left hand end of the blank, looking at Fig. 1. The blank is scored along the lines I so that these locking tongues may be readily folded as will be described below.

The scoring lines I divide the upper part of the blank into four parts II], II, I2 and I3 which respectively form the side walls of the box or carton to be formed out of the blank. Below the scoring line 2 theblank is formed by the cuts I, 3 and 4 into foldable parts I4, I5, I6 and I1 which form the bottom of the carton. The opposite side panel walls II and I3 are of equal Width and the opposite panels I0 and I2 are of equal width, and in the embodiment shown all these panel are of equal width. The vertical depth of the parts I4 and I6 as indicated by the letter at, are, in accordance with the embodiment of the invention illustrated, approx mately one- I half the .width y of the side walls II and I3 but may be less than one-half whereby the locking tongues of a pair (5, 5 and 6, 6) are disposed closely adjacent each other when the bottom wall members I4 and I 6 are folded alon the line 2 to form the bottom of the carton. Theside Wall parts II and I3 are provided With slots I8 extending longitudinally of the blank for thepurpose of accommodating and receiving the locking flaps or tongues when the blank is folded into box or carton shape.

With the blank thus formed as shown and described with res'pece to Fig. 1, the blank is first folded about the scored lines I to form the four sided blank shown in Fig. 2. At this point or at some later step in the folding operation, as may be deemed advisable, the end edges C and D of the blank or edges of side Walls I0 and I3 are fastened together in any suitable manner as for example by means of a sticker or piece of adhesive tape 20 which is placed about and fixed to the corner of the box thus formed as indicated n Fig- With the blank thus folded into boxparts M and I6 are then folded inwardly towards each other to form the bottom of the carton with the locking tongues of a pair (5, and 6, 6) disposed closely adjacent each other. Each pair of locking tongues is then folded upwardly along the scored lines 1 and the ends of each pair of tongues are inserted through the slots l8. After insertion through the slots l8 the ends 5', 5 and 6', G are bent downwardly as shown in Fig. 4 and lie fiat against the interior of the side walls II and I3. These ends of the tongues which are thus bent downwardly to engage the insides of the side walls II and I3, are firmly held in this locking position by means of a nesting member 22. The latter is a conventional nesting member formed in the particular embodiment shown of two groups of ri ht angularly disposed interlocking strips, there being four of these strips in each group. The ends of the strips 23 are disposed to eng e and firmly hold the ends 5, 5' and 6', 6' of the interlocking tongues into looking engagement when the nesting member is inserted as shown in the drawing. For facilitating the insertion of the tongues through the slots 18 and bending the ends 5', 5 'andB', 6' downwardly to be engaged by the nesting member 22, these tongues are previously scoredalong the double lines 1, these lines being spaced from each other a distance slightly greater than or equal to the thickness of the board of which the bottom is made. With the ends of the tongues projecting inwardly through the slots IB, the nest? ing member 22 is then inserted upon the bottom liner parts I5 and H with the ends of the strips 23 firmly engaging and holding the ends of the tongues tightly against the interior of the side walls I I and I3 as above described.

A' box or carton thus formed is very firm and strong and is capable of withstanding the usage encountered in factory use.

where it is used for transporting incandescent lamp bulbs, radio tubes, and other glass articles within the compartments of the nest 22. The

carton can be very economically manufactured because there is practically no waste in the stamping of the blanks out of sheets from which the blanks are made, and no staples, glue or other fastening devices are needed other than the sticker or tape 20 for fastening one corner i For example, the f box is particularly useful in a lamp factory is only necessary to remove the nesting member 22 and then release the locking tongues 5 and 6 whereupon the bottom parts may be folded downwardly and the box pressed flat at the corners, with the box thus knocked down occupying very little space. If desired the tape or stickers 20 for fastening the corner of the box may be cut or removed and the carton thus reconverted to the flat elongated blank form shown in Fig.1.

Iclaim:

1. A collapsible carton formed of cardboard and the-like having its bottom and side walls formed of a single elongated strip of material, said elongated sheet being scored laterally along three lines throughout a part of the width to form the four side walls, said sheet being severed along lines forming continuations of the laterally scored lines to form a meeting pair of bottom liners and a meeting pair'of bottom members, the latter carrying rectangular locking tongues formed out of the bottom liner members or parts, with each of two opposite side walls having a single straight slot therein near the bottom edge thereof for the reception of the locking tongues of the bottom members which are folded to engage the outer surfaces of the side walls and passed through said slots and then'turned downwardly to engage the interior of the side walls, and a nest member fitting tightly inside of said cartonand engaging both the bottom liner walls and the ends of said tongues and pressing the latter tightly against the interior of the sidewalls.

2. A collapsible carton formed of carboard and the like having its bottom and side walls formed. of a single elongated strip of material, said elongated sheet being scored laterally along three lines throughout a part of the width to form the four side walls, said sheet being severed along lines forming continuations of the laterally scored lines to form a meeting pair. of bottom liners and a meeting pair of bottom members, the latter carrying rectangular locking tongues formed out of the bottom liner members or parts, with each of two opposite side walls having a single straight slot-therein near the bottom edge thereof for the reception of the locking tongues of the bottom members which are folded to engage the outer surfaces of the side walls and passed through saidslots and then i 

